The Legend of Meta Knight: Operation Tabuu
by Haninator
Summary: In a world where Smashers get what they want, Tabuu rises again. Together, two swordsmen must stop him from destroying all they know. Rated T for action violence... and characters who have no importance dying...
1. Chapter 1 The First Offensive

This is a sequel for Smash the Halls that was begging to be written. That and Meta was harassing me for it on Facebook. LOL. Harassing is too strong a word, though... bugging me about... yeah. :) I got a WII!! Oh, gosh... Link's Crossbow Training is da bomb! I love it! That and my insane monologues in which I talk to Link...

*flashback to earlier this Christmas day*

*Haninator is sitting on the floor in front of the TV with the Wii zapper in both hands and her legs half crossed*

"C'mon Link, c'mon. Get 'em! Good shot! Okay, we're goin' over here now!"

*now*

XD... Yeah... LOL

* * *

Chapter 1 The First Offensive

Meta and Link were in the hologram generation room for the twentieth time that month. It had only been a week since the kidnapping that had given them the unwanted news that Tabuu was back and ready to knock them into next year. The Hands hadn't told anyone who did not already know about Tabuu's imminent return to challenge the Smashers in a desperate attempt to keep panic levels reduced to about normal. It was only natural that the Smashers would have a certain amount of fear in daily life due to the results of the last match that they'd won or just because Wario had had beans the previous night.

The two friends still had not gotten enough of using their newly attained weapons and had made a point of going to the hologram generation room at least once a day. In a sense, they behaved like children who had just received EXACTLY what they wanted for Christmas and hence couldn't play with the toy enough. They fought holograms of enemies native to their separate homelands and those from each other's homelands. They fought randomly generated beings that had no visible weak point. The strange and twistedly disgusting creativity the hologram generators employed could only be a side-effect of letting Crazy Hand have access to the hologram control center. The duo fought so much as a team that they learned each other's weaknesses and how to cover them efficiently.

When the attack came, the two friends were ready, but in the wrong wing of the mansion to do much good. Tabuu made his way through the Smash Mansion methodically, sending his men in first, then coming up at just the right moment in the battle to capture the targeted Smashers. The duo didn't notice that there was a raid until they exited the hologram generation room and saw the destruction that had been wreaked upon the mansion. Pictures that had formerly hung on the walls had fallen to the floor and anything that wasn't bolted to the floor was strewn across the hall.

"Meta... How'd we miss this?" Link asked, a twinge of sadness spiking his tone.

"We must have been too caught up in our fictional foes to notice real ones."

"How do you know it wasn't just a brawl among friends?"

"I can feel it. Obviously your senses are clouded by fear for your comrades."

"Meta, I just don't want anyone to be hurt, or killed. You respect that, right?"

"Of course, Link. When haven't I respected life? It's one thing to let people feel emotions and quite another to let them be distracted by their feelings."

"As you've said to me a few times before," Link cracked a small smile. Meta was like a teacher to him at times, but the friendship they shared was special in the sense that they could learn from each other and take what they learned into battle to defend each other. "I didn't let them get to me when I saved you from Tabuu's men... TABUU! That's who did this!"

"Yes, Link. There's still a hint of purple haze over here on the floor. The remnants of on of Tabuu's minions, no doubt," Meta's eyes changed to a deep greenish-blue, tinted yellow slightly due to the visor of his mask, which protected his eyes from any shrapnel or other objects that would do them considerable damage. Link could read Meta's emotions only through the coor of his companion's eyes, a task that was quite tedious at first, and impossible for beginners. It was still a hard task because the Star Warrior's eyes only deviated from their initial amber color (due to his mask's tinting, underneath it, they were truly white) for a few seconds. The Hylian could see the sadness in his friend's eyes, remorse for something he had been powerless against, something that had happened right under his nose without him noticing. "Usually we are the first to respond to any threat. And the mansion defenses would allow us to know that someone is entering without permission..."

"Unless someone hacked through the system," Link said. Meta could detect Link's emotions shifting from sad regret to boiling anger. "When I get my hands on whoever did this, they're gonna be sorrier than a Bulbin who provoked a Deku Baba!"

Meta's eyes shifted to a light blue-green color and he sighed. "You must control yourself. You don't want to end up in Tabuu's clutches, do you?"

"No, but we've gotta do something if we're gonna save the others. Maybe we could track their ship. If they came in a ship and haven't left yet."

"Now you're thinking." Meta smiled underneath his mask. Link was a kind-hearted person, but a sure-fire way to get him ticked off in a flash was to endanger his friends. He would do ANYTHING to keep his friends safe from harm, even if it meant that he be traded for their freedom. He had such little regard for his life that he would quickly jump in front of an enemy's sword in order to save anyone who meant anything to him. It gave Meta a fright like nothing else could. He, like Link, couldn't bear to see his friends in positions that could harm them, and seeing Link so reckless with his own life freaked Meta out more than once. Sure, those tactics had freed him from the clutches of Tabuu's minions and a brainwashed Captain Falcon, but there was much Link had to learn before Meta would fully be comfortable with leaving the Hylian to his own style. "I know a fast way to the docking bay. Follow me." With that, Meta unfurled his wings, disregarding Master Hand's instructions to all those who could fly not to fly in the hallways due to the direness of the situation and flew off down the hall. Link took a deep breath and ran after his friend at top speed. It was best to keep Meta in sight when he did something like this.

In a shorter amount of time than anyone would have believed, Link and Meta reached the docking bay. There was another ship in one of the docking bays. It was small, barely big enough to have enough room for its occupants, including the kidnapped Smashers. "Track it!" Link yelled, somehow gaining the necessary air to get the words out even as he sprinted up to Meta, who was soaring for the now leaving ship. Link stopped, chest heaving, after he made it through the door. He was in good shape, but his body wasn't made to run at the speed he was running for the amount of time he had been. Meta clenched his teeth and flew to affix the tracking limpet. He moved quickly, hoping that he wouldn't show up on the sensors of the small ship. The sensor arrays of most ships were dialed in to focus on large objects, which made sense because most ships that posed _any _threat whatsoever were larger than single-person ships. Even then, Meta was cautious in order to ensure that he woudn't be noticed. It would be hard enough to land on the ship without making any noise, but avoiding detection from sensors that had been tuned in to smaller objects would be impossible. Meta took a deep breath and started working on attaching the limpet even as the ship's engines hummed to life. Link felt his heart rate increase in fear of the idea of Meta Knight being on the ship when it left the atmosphere. "C'mon. C'mon!" he said to himself, hurrying Meta along even as the Star Warrior had to brace himself in order to keep from falling off the ship. They took off, leaving Link running for a spot in the docking bay that was safe from the fires of the ignited engines providing thrust for the ship.

Meta Knight barely had time to secure the limpet before he had to jump off the ship and make his way back to the docking bay. When he flew back in Link had to restrain himself in order to keep from giving Meta a hug that would bring more embarassment than it was worth. "Great job. So now we can track them from the Halberd?" the Hylian asked, settling on giving Meta a high-five.

"Yes. We can. And thanks."

"Well, without the tracking limpet, we wouldn't be able to go after them, would we?"

"You have a point." Gesturing to the Halberd, Meta continued, "Shall we?"

"Yeah."

*

"There's someone missing." Tabuu's face molded into an angry scowl. "Harry, you said we had _all_ of them. I sense something different. I knew I shouldn't have listened to you and your useless counsel! Get out of here before I kill you!"

Harry gulped and said, "Y-yes, S-sir." With that he sprinted out of the control room.

Tabuu sat back in the flight couch and sighed. It was too late to go back to the mansion. The ship had already entered hyperspace and it would be a waste of fuel the ship didn't have to go back and get the missed Smashers. Tabuu consoled himself with visions of Harry's demise. He felt infinitely better as the ship came back into realspace, and his homeworld materiaized in the viewport.

* * *

Link: Before Haninator (Can I use your real name, buddy?) says anything, I'd like to let her know that she NEEDS TO SERIOUSLY STOP CALLING PEPPERMINT PATTIES HER CRACK! It's really gettin' old, Ka-

Me: NO!!! Don't!

Link: FINE... just stop calling them your crack.

Me: But they're mounds of peppermint and dark chocolate goodness! How can the NOT be crack?!?

Link: They're sugar and a bunch of other ingredients that come together and make you hyper as you metabolize them. NOT CRACK! Crack is a DRUG. Drugs make people do REALLY STUPID stuff.

Me: Exactly why it's my crack. Hey! My sis is trying my epic way of playing Wii Tennis.... She's failing MISERABLY! I guess it's 'cauz it's MY tactic. Not hers. XD

Link: And she said _I_ had ADD in Starrgrl's fic...

Me: HE DID! One second it was "I'm hungry" then the next it was "HOLY CRAP! It's Yellow!" (Yoshi in her fic.)

Link: *grumbles* It's not my fault.

Han: I felt a disturbance in the fault-finding universe! I think someone declared that it wasn't their fault.

Luke: *grumbling* Shut up.

Me: HA! After this... I get to play Melee, right?

Link: *clears his throat* No.

Me: Forget that! I'm playin' some melee!

Link: You've forgotten, haven't you?

Blue (Yoshi from my fic): *clears his throat* My chappy. *sniffle* HOW DARE YOU?!? After Starrgrl asked. HOW can you forget?!?

Me: I didn't forget! I forgo- it slipped my mind. Oh... and that stuff about ships and tracking limpets... that should ring a bell for anyone who's read Before the Storm by Michael P. Kube-McDowell... It's a Star Wars story... VERY GOOD!!! Um... yeah... that covers it...

ALL: Review! :D


	2. Chapter 2 Pursuit

This is the second chappy of the Legend of Meta Knight!

Link: They already know that...

Me: Picky, picky, picky!

Link: Weren't you reading a manga earlier?

Me: Yeah... *giggles*

Link: Don't think I didn't see what you saw! That baby picture! *shudders* You weren't SUPPOSED TO SEE THAT!!!

Me: Yeah... disturbing... O.o

Link: WELL, THINK ABOUT HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT!!!

Me: ...AWKWARD!!

Meta: *walks in* You will type it, or I will be forced to use Galaxia.

Me: I'm typin'! I'm typin'!

Link: Don'tcha love how this sort of stuff ALWAYS works?

Me: *hisses* FANFICTION ATE PART OF WHAT I WROTE!!!

Link: O.o Okay, then...

* * *

Oh, yeah... I own nothing... except the plot-line... maybe...

* * *

Chapter 2 Pursuit

"This is crazy. I can't believe that we let this happen!" Marth said angrily, pacing back and forth in the huge cell that housed him, Ike, Olimar, Snake, and Sonic.

"Well, genius, we were all busy at the time," Ike supplied.

"But we're smarter than this!"

"Apparently not," Snake said, scowling.

"Wait a second. Link isn't here," Zelda pointed out from her cell. She had been taking the entire trip to make certain that he wasn't among the others, not desiring to get everyone's hopes up only for them to be crushed.

"Poyo poyo Meta!" Kirby yelled in response.

"And neither is Meta Knight," Zelda said, nodding. "They'll probably come for us. If I know Link and Meta, they will most DEFINITELY be here soon."

"Define 'soon,'" Captain Falcon said, sitting down in the corner of the cell he shared with King Dedede, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, and Mr. Game and Watch; facing the opposite corner and crossing his legs at the ankles.

"I can't. All I know is that they'll be here. I can feel Link getting closer. It'll just take some time," Zelda responded.

Ganondorf scoffed, "Who would've thought," he asked, irony coating his words and dripping off of them, "that I'd be counting on that boy to free me from a prison?"

"Well... there were times when you let him 'do things for you.'" Zelda retorted. "How is this any different?"

"He's rescuing me, his sworn nemesis. He unwittingly helped me a few times, but this... he knows what he's doing."

"I suppose you're right... but we're smashers. We stick together even in times where we don't agree. We save those who have wronged us because there is a shred of good in everyone and it can only show itself if it's given a chance."

"Bah. Everyone except we villains. We have no good. Just a hunger for power that no one else respects. You know that better than anyone else could, _Princess_." Ganondorf had used the title to bring back memories that he was sure the daughter of King Harkinian did not wish to bring to the forefront.

"Believe what you will about yourselves, though you know it is a lie. You're just trying to keep what your peers view as weakness as far away from you as possible."

Ganondorf mumbled something about princesses being the true evil and subsided into the shadows of his cell.

"We _could_ try to escape," Fox suggested, flicking his tail to the side.

"Tabuu would either kill us or tighten the security. It wouldn't do us any good," Peach spoke up.

"Ah, quit whining," Wolf said. "I don't have my iPod so it's impossible for me to tune you out. You best shut up before I decide that you need a good amount of sense knocked into you."

"You wouldn't-a dare touch-a my princess!" Mario yelled indignantly from his cell on the other side of the hold.

"You'd be surprised with what I'd dare, Mario. Especially when I don't have my iPod."

"This is pathetic," Falco said, placing his feathered hands over his audio receptors.

"No kidding," Bowser growled, doing the same and sighing.

Little did they know that their situation was about to change and not particularly for the better.

*

Tabuu noticed something rather disturbing as he walked by the sensor screen. What had started as an innocent trip to check on the guards in the hold keeping the Smashers at bay became a fit of anger. "Who's the scum responsible for watching the sensor screen?!?" the blue man yelled. "Comms, I want you to relay the message to the other stations. Get the Smashers down here. Maybe this will solidify their impression of who's in control here."

Tabuu pulled the hapless sensor system controller out of his seat even as the primid sat down to resume his job. The terrible blue man was satisfied to see that the Smashers had assembled in the bridge and were watching the ordeal already. The manacled fighters were bound hand and foot with chains and cuffs and forced to watch a grisly scene that would forever be entombed in their memories. Tabuu growled as he proceded to beat up the luckless primid, redish purple blood spattering the Smashers who were standing closest to the seen. The pirimid begged for mercy, something Tabuu did not possess even as the blue man picked him up by the shirt collar.

"You are a rotten fly. A filthy, reckless, cockroach-kissing FLY! YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE SENSOR SHADOW BEFORE WE ENTERED HYPERSPACE!" Saliva splashed on the primid's face, but he had no energy left to wipe it away, he was too busy trembling, awaiting another blow that he'd try to fend off, even though he was already exhausted from attempting to protect himself. The blow didn't come. Not in the way he'd anticipated. Lucas looked away as Tabuu's hand transformed into a claw that was a sharper, grimmer parody of those in claw machines and the blue man plunged his hand into the primid's chest and pulled on some internal object, spurting more reddish purple blood as he ripped out the poor creature's heart as it gave a final, cut-off scream. Some of the Smashers had to close their eyes to keep from throwing up as Tabuu crushed the heart in another explosion of blood and fleshy particles. Not satisfied to stop there, the blue man stabbed the claw deep into the dead primid's head, ripping out a chunk of brains which he tossed aside. The grey matter landed on the console the primid had previously worked at. Tabuu reached the claw in again, crushing through the skull, making the hole bigger as he ripped another chunk free. The cycle of stabbing, ripping, and throwing continued untill there was no more neural tissue in the primid's head. Then, with a sickening tug, Tabuu used his unbelievable strength to pull the spine from the primid's body, in a disgusting sound of breaking ribs, ripping flesh, and tearing ligaments. At this time, all of the Smashers nearest to the mayhem were heavily spattered with blood. Tabuu wasn't done yet, much to the Smashers' dismay, and continued the mutilation untill every organ in the primid's body was removed. Then came the grisly separation of tissue from bone. When Tabuu was finished, the brains and organs had already returned to their former purple haze and were fading. The other organs were fading, too even as Tabuu raised the flesh in front of the Smashers and smiled terribly. "If you _dare_ to defy me, your fate will be the same. I'll escort them back _personally_."

*

"Meta," Link said, looking distraught and a little sick.

"What?" Meta said, turning to face his friend. Link was currently serving as Meta's copilot, using whatever controls Meta told him to use the second he was told to use them. There wasn't much to do at the moment, though, since they were in the comforts of hyperspace. "Don't tell me you're getting space-sick."

"I'm not. It's just that... I just saw something... I know _I_ didn't see it... It didn't happen right in front of me, but... Tabuu... just killed someone."

"How do you know?" Meta asked, eyes flaring to a red, displaying the boiling hot anger within him, but then faded to a deep, sad blue. "One of the Smashers?" he asked, his eyes rusuming their normal white underneath the yellow visor.

"I saw it through my connection with Zelda. It was terrible. Tabuu... ripped out his sensor monitor's heart... then separated him from all of his entrails and bones... then displayed the finished product." Link swallowed hard.

Meta was lost for words. He had nothing to say that wouldn't sound too harsh on his friend. Finally he found his tongue. "Link, take it easy for a minute if you have to. I can pilot by myself."

"No, Meta. I'm fine. Really. I've seen death before." _Not like that,_ Link continued mentally, feeling terrible for only telling his friend a half-truth.

"If you think so. Only you know your limits. Just promise me that if you need a break you will take it."

"I promise." Link took a deep breath to calm his nerves and stared out into hyperspace, sending a single prong of comforting warmth to Zelda, trying to calm her and let her know that he and Meta were on their way.

* * *

Okay, before you start complaining about "HANINATOR! YOU DON'T WRITE BLOOD AND GORE!!! WHY ARE YOU STARTING THIS NOW?!?!? YOU USED TO BE PURE!" and stuff like that, I just wanna say that it was necessary for me to get my point across. Tabuu is a freaky jerk-monkey and I felt like establishing it this way. In any case... I suppose... for FANSERVICE reasons... I can give you guys the LINK to the manga I was reading... Oracle of Seasons... DX http:// zelda - infinite .com /files /manga get rid of the random spaces. :D See ya! Oh, yeah... REVIEWS ARE AWESOME!!!


	3. Chapter 3 The Prison Planet

Okay, guys... this is the... well... you already know that... XD In any case, it's time for my new random thing: RANDOM CHARACTER QUESTIONS! You ask the characters something in a review, and they answer it for you! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, this applies to any character I've written a story for... i.e. you can even ask Ras Daragn questions, too.

Ras: DON'T DO IT! NO MATTER HOW HARD SHE PUSHES YOU, DON'T DO IT!!!!!

Haninator: Ras, shut up.

Ras: NO!

Haninator: *face appears to change colors* (for those of you who've seen Jedi Academy Re-edited, you know what this means) *creepy synthesized voice* You are going to SHUT UP!

Ras: O_o

Haninator: *normal again* Thank you. There are a few rules for this, though... Like for example... NO INAPPROPRIATE QUESTIONS! If you wouldn't ask it in front of your parents, don't ask my poor characters, okay?

Ras: HALELUJIAH!

Haninator: I guess it's raining men... or something...

Ras: WHAT?!?

Haninator: GOTCHA!! ;)

Ras: Maybe you should actually type the chapter...

Meta Knight: *walks in* Yes. Type now.

Haninator: Or you'll use Galaxia?

Meta Knight: Do NOT tempt me.

Link: *walks in* HHEEEEEEYYYYY!!! What up my peeps?

Haninator: Crap. He's been watchin' gansta flicks...

Link: JUST KIDDING!! GOTCHA!

Haninator: -_- *sighs* So you did. Do you want a medal?

Link: No. I want the chappy!

Haninator: I KNEW you'd say that. WHY DOES EVERYONE ALWAYS WANT SOMETHING FROM ME?!? *fake cries*

Link: Aw, c'mere. *whispers* Group hug, guys! *everyone hugs me*

Haninator: CHOKING THE AUTHOR!!! NOT GOOD! OOOH... this is sorta comfy... XD

Link: Sudden mind change? Must be the coffee...

Haninator: I didn't have THAT much... I just found your shoulder, see?

Link: D'oh! ^^; Heh heh...

Haninator: Um... it's hard to type with you guys all strangulating me.

Everyone else: *lets go*

Link: "Strangulating?"

Haninator: My new word.

Meta Knight: The only words I want to see are those that compose the chappy.

Link and Ras: ME TOO!

Haninator: JINX! MWAHAHA!

Link and Ras (making sure not to say it at exactly the same time): Jinx machine is out of order. Kiss my butt or pay a quarter.

Haninator: YOU DIRTY FREAKS!

Link and Ras: We know you love us!

Haninator: Okay... here's our chappy. :D

Angels repeat: OUR CHAPPY!

Haninator: WHO GAVE THEM MY SCRIPT?!?

Pit: I did.

Haninator: Okay. Cool with me. :D

Pit: -_- I knew it wasn't a good idea to do this...

Haninator: And Pit wonders why he's so annoying!

Pit: WHAT?!? THAT MADE NO LOGICAL SENSE!

Haninator: I am nonsensical. I trump you.

Pit: Crap.

* * *

Chapter 3 The Prison Planet

Zelda wanted to resist Tabuu and his minions as she and the other Smashers were lead back to their cells and thrust within the barred-off rooms, but of course she didn't because she didn't want to get herself or anyone else killed. Tabuu was serious in the worse sense of the word. She tried to calm the kid Smashers who had been confined to her cell this time. Toony was slightly less affected than the others since he'd been through harsher scenes during his quest. Lucas was on the opposite side of the scale entirely. Even though he'd seen only bits of the murder, those bits were haunting the brain behind his eyes and Zelda could read the fright there. She took them all up near her and sat down, letting them sit in her lap as she tried to calm them.

"It's okay, kids. Tabuu won't hurt you. I won't let him." She was surprised at the iron will she put behind the second and third sentences and how much she actually meant them. Just as she was comforting the kids, Link was sending her a comforting glow that would have made her smile if the situation had allowed it. "Link and Meta are coming to rescue us."

"Let's hope so," Bowser interjected.

"Bowser! You're scaring the kids!" Zelda cradled them closer to her.

"Maybe we should prepare for escape," Fox suggested, scanning the room for anything that could possibly be of use to the Smashers in a scuffle and finding nothing except the primid guards themselves.

"Fox, as nice as that idea may sound in your head, there's no way we're gonna be able to escape. Tabuu's more serious than he's ever been before," Marth said, stepping toward Zelda's cell.

"Marth, thanks a load. Fox, I'm sorry to say that it _would _be futile to try to escape. Tabuu's already got us on a short leash," Zelda replied, taking the role of mediator again.

"I can't stand this inactivity. It makes me nervous," Fox said, swishing his tail uneasily.

"Maybe you should go to sleep. It might make you feel better," Wolf said irately from the floor.

Fox complied, turning around three times, reminding Zelda of the domestic dogs that sometimes roamed Hyrule Castle Town. Zelda spoke again, "I think the best course of action now is to rest up for when they do come."

Words of agreement chorused through the room as Smashers lay down in their cells. Zelda soon got the kid Smashers calmed down enough to get them to sleep and soon followed them to dreamland.

*

"Link, are you ready for realspace? Hey, buddy, are you okay over there?" Meta asked, turning toward the Hero of Time.

Link had been thinking about Zelda, the Smashers, and the bruising that he and Meta would give Tabuu. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry. I was just thinking about what we're gonna do when we get there."

"Let's save it for when we get there, okay?" Meta replied gently.

"Sorry."

"Don't be."

Link reached for the hyperdrive lever and pulled it down. The Halberd reverted to realspace near a brown planet with a few mottled spots of blue marking lakes and seas. "Meta... what is this place?"

"Vartwick."

"Vartwick? I've never heard of it."

"It's Tabuu's home planet. He's mutilated it so much, though... it's a ghost of its former self."

"That's sad."

"It used to be one of the most beautiful planets... but now, it's a dump. Tabuu let his inner filth destroy his home... and remake it in his image."

"One more reason to hate that scum."

"Link, hatred destroys you from within."

"It was a figure of speech, gosh!"

"Look... I apologize, Link, but... I suppose I'm a tad on edge. I don't want to be too late... again..."

"Meta... I'm... It's okay. Let's just land."

"Sure."

*

Tabuu walked back to the bridge. He was still angry about the stupidity of his minions. When he got the next chance, he'd make the primids smarter and more capable. He entertained thoughts of the new primids as the current ones landed the ship. The destruction of his home planet had been the first step. He was sick of dealing with creatures from other worlds. The alien tourists that supported his planet's economy were all stupid and morally corrupt. He was the one who had liberated his planet from alien influences, saved it from destruction. Sure, only a select few life forms could live there now, but it was worth it to keep the aliens away. He was comforted by the brown, disgusting pools of acid and other chemical wastes littering the dull dust-ball of a planet.

"Guards, I'm coming to move the prisoners. Let's keep them in line," Tabuu said as he started off to the prison dock, momentarily reminding himself that he had wanted to see the first view of Vartwick from the cockpit rather than staying in the prison bay.

"Okay, Sir. We'll keep everything as secure as possible."

"That's apparently all I can expect of you worthless creatures," Tabuu spat as he stalked off to the prison bay.

* * *

Okays... Here it is! :D Tabuu is a bit of a jerk.. um... yeah... last chappy... I apologize again for the blood and gore and crap... but... if you like it... um... XD Well, then I'm not sorry for it. If you don't... well... that was last chappy! XD Uh... *awkward moment* Review? Meow. XD


	4. Chapter 4 Stealth Mode

Well, guys, here's the chappy... but... before we start... the QUESTIONS HAVE COME IN!!

Link: Ah, crap. This oughtta be interesting.

Pink: (Yoshi from "Yoshis: The New Guy") HIII!!! LIINNKK!!! *hug attacks him*

Link: GET HER OFF OF ME!!!

Haninator: Get off him before I kill you.

Pink: :/ Fine... DX

Link: YES!!

Haninator: Okay, now that that's over... :D THE QUESTIONS!!

Link: Yes. Starrgrl asked me how much coffee I drink each morning... Weeeeellll... it depends on how much there is in the pot. If there're only two cups worth of coffee in there, I'm okay with that, but I'll take as much as I can get!

Haninator: XD And he thinks me getting hyper is bad! XD

Link: Hey, that fits the next question perfectly. XD Starrgrl also wants to know how I deal with your hyper moments... XD

Haninator: I think that's best illustrated with a flashback.

*flashback*

Haninator: COFFEEEE!!!! YAHOOO!!!

Link: HOLEEE CRAAAAP!!!

Haninator: LINK!! LET'S HYPER DANCE!!!

Link: I thought you DIDN'T dance... wait... she's on coffee... ANYTHING can happen... *runs away to the basement and uses the handprint scanner to gain entrance to his secret bunker*

*end flashback*

Haninator: Secret bunkers in my basement... XD There're about a MILLION of those things in there... XD

Link: Yup!

Pink: Can I answer MY question now?

Haninator: Look out, Link... here it comes...

Link: *prays*

Pink: Starrgrl asked ME what I think of Link! *squeals fangirlishly* He's SO HOT!!! I think about him all the time! EVEN WHEN I'M SLEEPING!!! I HAVE HIS PICTURE HANGING ON MY WALL!!! :D YOU KNOW THAT SUMO-WRESTLING SCENE? I HAVE THAT PICTURE IN MY ROOM!!!

Link: O.o

Pink: 8)

Link: HOLEE CRAAAAP!!! *runs for the bunker*

Haninator: T.T PPIIIIIIIINKKK!!!

Pink: What'd I do?!?

Haninator: GRRRAAAAAHHHH!!!! *Chases Pink around with her plastic sword* GET BACK HERE!!!

*BOOM*

*CRASH*

*TWANG*

*THUD*

Haninator: *dusts off hands* Okay, Meta, your turn.

Meta Knight: Ah, yes... laguzgirl asked if Link and I are truly such good friends. Well, to be truthful, we're quite attuned to each other. A true fighting duo, if you know what I mean. We respect each other and are there for support when it is required.

Link: (from a walkie-talkie set up in his bunker) Affirmative. Threat neutralized?

Pink: I HEARD THAT!!

Link: Oh, snap!

Meta: He's always been the... less formal of the two of us...

Link: Yeah, yeah... pick on the Hylian.

Haninator: Okay... TIME FOR THE CHAPPY!

Link: Holy crap... it's the apocalypse. She's cutting us off to write the chappy.

Meta: It's about time.

* * *

Chapter 4 Stealth Mode

Zelda shifted uneasily in her cell. She was one of the first to reawaken as the ship settled into its berth. While she didn't want to wake the young Smashers, she did want to see what was going on around her. The princess of Hyrule twisted around, uncomfortably stretching the muscles in her sides, almost to the point of pulling them, to see primids marching towards the cells that housed her and her friends. "Excuse me, Sir?" she asked, facing one of the primids.

The primid looked over at her and moved toward her cell. Zelda could hear the clank of keys in his pocket. "Hey, Gerald! Get away from there! Master ordered us to keep away from them! They're crafty, you know!"

Zelda looked back at the primid, eyes conveying the sweetest, most innocent expression she could muster. "I just want to know where we're going." The words were sugar-coated, but Zelda still had no idea what she'd do even if she _did_ get the information. It was a useless gesture, really, but perhaps if she knew where they were going, she could get a message to Link through their bond. She could only send him pictures. Zelda wished hopelessly that she'd spent the time with Link to teach him the more subtle arts of magic, namely more advanced thought-projection. She made it the highest priority for the next time they saw each other.

"Don't tell her!" the primid yelled.

The primid closer to Zelda backed away and moved toward the door to her cell. He unlocked it and moved rapidly to stuncuff her, not that he really needed to with all of the kid Smashers sleeping near her and on her lap. She had been using her hands to prop herself up, but with the stuncuffs, she had no such luxury. The princess of Hyrule fell over backwards, in a rather undignified fashion, almost jarring the younger Smashers awake. She grunted, annoyed at the primid for coming so close to awakening the sleeping children. When the primid moved closed to Ness and Lucas, preparing to cuff them, too.

"Leave them alone! They're sleeping! Have you no decency?" Zelda complained in an angry, indignant whisper.

"Shut up." The primid was quiet and gentle with the hands of the children, showing that he did, in fact, care that he was binding _children_ like prisoners of war. He moved through the cell as silent as a ghost as the other primids cuffed the other Smashers for the trip to the containment bay on Vartwick. Once they were all bound, _he _came into the prison bay.

*

Link felt a sudden jolt, a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that he wasn't particularly fond of. "Meta," he said, "I've got a _really_ bad feeling about this. Zelda is sending me... images... of... our friends... getting knocked around by primids... and... Tabuu... standing there, watching..."

Meta looked over at his friend, contemplating the best way to calm him, just to keep him thinking straight. "Link... everything's going to be okay. You'll see." He added the last sentence with confidence he didn't truly feel. "Now... let's concentrate on landing. See that vent over there?"

"Yeah."

"We're going to land in there, travel through the air duct, and make our way to the prison bay. Once there, we're gonna set 'em free."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Meta smirked underneath his mask and turned the Halberd toward the vent.

Link readied himself to pull the lever that would activate the landing gear. Soon enough, both he and Meta were blinded by a cloud of steam. Flying blind, except for passive sensors, Link couldn't help but feel a tad uneasy even though he trusted Meta with his life. If Meta couldn't see, he couldn't react the way he normally would, nor as quickly as usual. The Hylian took a deep breath and calmed himself remarkably. If they had to do this for stealth, they would. As he finally settled down, the impact came.

* * *

OOOHHH!!! WHAT HAPPENED?!? HA HA HA HA HA!!! Ain't I evil?!? XD

Link: CURSES!!! META, WHY?!? WHY DO YOU HAVE AN UN-TRUMPABLE HAND?!?

Meta: Uh... skills.

Link: :/ Meh. At least Pink is gone.

Pink: (from the shadows) SO YOU THINK!!

Haninator: SOMEBODY CALL NINE ONE ONE, SHE'LL BE FIYAH BURNIN' ON THE DANCE FLOOR WHOAOA!!! XD

Link: What in the WORLD?!?

Meta: She had ice cream. Ignore it.

Link: HOLY CRAP!! *runs for the bunker*

Haninator: Reviews make me happah... and REMEMBER KIDS, YOU CAN STILL ASK QUESTIONS!!!

Tabuu: I'm surprised I haven't been asked a certain question yet...

Haninator: Shut up, moron!

Tabuu: Meh. :/ INFIDEL!

Haninator: SILENCE! I KEEL YOU!

Tabuu: O.o


	5. Chapter 5 Infiltration

Okay, guys... The cliffy... is comin' to an end... GREAT SCOTT!! XD

Doc Brown: *gasps*

Haninator: Meh... ANYWAYS... the questions have come in... AGAIN!!! :D

Ras: I hate you SOOO much!

Haninator: I CREATED YOU, FOOL!

Link: You just got PWNED!

Ras: I'd kill you, but Haninator'd kill me... and I kinda LIKE living...

Haninator: PWNED AGAIN! Uh... *hugs Link protectively* MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Uh... No... I haven't had sugar... I haven't eaten/drank anything this morning as of now, so chiiillllll.

Link: O.o *tries to run for the bunker, but is stopped by my arms*

Haninator: Hee hee...

Tabuu: *floats in* Hello, INFIDELS!

Haninator: Wanna play hardball, foo'?

Tabuu: O.o I have come to blow up your toilets!

Haninator: WHATT?!? I STARTED that joke! :( YOU MUST DIE!!!

Tabuu: I'll answer the question... Starrgrl wanted to know why, and I quote, "the * I am such a jerk."

Haninator: Tabuu, that language is unacceptable.

Tabuu: SILENCE, I KEEL YOU! As I was saying... How would you feel if YOUR planet was being overrun by complete idiots such as the human race?!?

Haninator: I. AM. GOING. TO KILL YOU!!! *lunges at Tabuu and goes all-out*

Tabuu: *disappears*

Link: And... well... to deal with fangirls (again Starrgrl)... I COULD say I just run to the bunker... but... well... that would be unsatisfying, wouldn't it... I suppose that's what the Master Sword is for... :3

Haninator: Granted you can pull it before they come close enough to get you.

Link: Shuddup.

Haninator: XD

Sky (Yoshi from Yoshis: The New Guy): And laguzgirl wanted to know why we all fall for Link... well... it's a matter of two hot guys (Green and Link), but one is hotter than the other... so... you know...

Link: *blushes* Ah, Din...

Sky: Anyway... laguzgirl also asked why we don't just eat Kamek... well... truthfully... he doesn't taste very good... And... well... he'd probably try to kill us with his magic... from the inside... so... yeah... Otherwise, I WOULD. It'd be SO much easier.

Captain Falcon: *walks in* SHOW ME YOUR MOVES!!! :D Laguzgirl loves that!

Haninator: No, she doesn't.

Captain Falcon: Then it lives up to its purpose!

Haninator: Annoy the crap out of people?

Captain Falcon: FALCONE YES!!!

Haninator: FALCONE LEAVE!!!

Captain Falcon: Crap. I overdid it...

Meta Knight: Yes. Get out now, or I shall use you as my training dummy. :3

* * *

Chapter 5 Infiltration

"Meta!" Link yelled sharply.

Meta Knight sat there, ignoring him, fighting the controls, a battle he seemed to be losing. Then, finally, "Link, calm down." The words were strained, almost forced out between his teeth. "Landing gear now."

Link obliged, still in a stunned silence at the way his friend had managed to regain control of the large ship. A few seconds later, they were firmly on the ground. Link took a few shaky breaths. "Let's not do that again."

"I'll try," Meta said, closing his eyes a little. "We can't save them if we're discovered. We must go now."

Link was already on his feet. "Yeah." He made sure he had a few basic items with him that would no doubt be useful during the rescue. _Bombs, arrows, bow, clawshots, iron boots... yeah... it's all there. _Link started toward the landing ramp, punched in the command, and waited for it to extend completely. Meta walked up behind him and activated the ship security. If anyone found the ship, they'd have to be a bomb technician to figure out how to hotwire the door system without getting fried by the laser cannon guarding the ramp.

"Well, it's a one-way shot from here on in, I suppose," Link contemplated a few seconds after Meta followed him down the ramp. The Hylian had to fight the air currents to stay in one place. Meta showed no such struggle; he was used to resisting the wind of Kirby's tornado-like suction. The Hero of Time paused a moment to put the iron boots on, an act that Meta didn't miss. Standing straight again, Link started down the vent, putting effort into moving his weighted feet. Meta couldn't help but chuckle as he followed him.

The trip through the vent was uneventful, almost too uneventful. Link looked over to Meta a few times, making sure the Star Warrior was still there, though he couldn't see much with the smoky steam clouding the passageway. After a little while, his eyes began to water; the smoke was getting more concentrated. They were heading to its source.

"Is this stuff... poisonous?" Link asked, realizing just how much smoke could make his throat burn.

"I don't know... odds are if it was, we'd be dead a few times over by now."

"Good enough for me, I guess..." Link said, coming to an area where a metal grate obstructed their movement forward. He tucked and rolled into it. trying to dislodge it, but the welds proved to be too strong for such a manuever. "Ah, crap."

Meta came up beside him. "There's a hole up there." The Star Warrior stretched out his wings and flew through the hole in the grate. Link smiled and pulled out the twin clawshots. After shooting the chain near the bottom edge of the hole, Link pulled on his end of the chain, making sure it would hold his weight. The clawshot was faithful. Link pushed the button, allowing it to retract and pull him to the grate. He climbed up the few extra feet to the hole, gingerly lifted a leg over, and pulled himself through the hole. He took a moment to affix the clawshot to the grate again and used it to repel down the grate. A nicely placed tug later and the clawshot was back in Link's hands.

A few lengths of ventilation piping later, the two heroes were at their destination. A grate in the ceiling marked where the system pumped in fresh air. Link used the clawshot to gain access to it and Meta just flew to it. Link removed the iron boots and replaced them in the brown pouch at his side. Meta popped the grate up and Link shoved his fingers underneath the gap, helping Meta push against his weight and the grate by spreading his arms out between the grate and the tile. The metal piece fell to the tile floor with a muffled clang. Link had had to extend the clawshot's chain to keep it from making a louder noise. Link pulled himself out of the hole, allowing Meta to fly out of the vent system.

They both knew that that had been the easy part.

* * *

Is it just me... or are these chappies REALLY short? :/ Well... I'll try to make them longer later... my goal for the next chappy is a bare 2,000 words... let's hope we get there...

Link: Wow... this time Cinnamon Toast Crunch calmed her down... odd...

Haninator: I'm just thinking about all the crap I'm gonna hafta do at school today that I really don't wanna do. :/

Meta: Not cool.

Link: Want me to bomb the school?

Haninator: YES!!! Um... I'm not a terrorist! I just hate school! SCHOOL IS THE TRUE TERRORISM... AND IT'S HAPPENING IN MY COUNTRY!!! Oh... Obama needs to stop spending... and the state government is a fraud ("we have no money" WHAT ARE THE TAXES **_YOU_ COLLECT**, FOOLS?!?). Uh... yeah... END RANT! XD Review? Pwease?

Link: Or I WILL **FOR YOU!!**

Haninator: They might like that... gives them less work.

Link: Crap. FORGET I SAID THAT!!

Haninator: XD Ah, they wouldn't wanna miss the chance to ask questions, would they? XD


	6. Chapter 6 Rescue and Showdown

Haninator: *whining and drawing out the syllables* WHYYYYYYY?!? MIIIDDNNNNAAAAA?!? WHYYYY?!?

Link: *walks in* What HAPPENED?

Haninator: I killed Ganondorf.

Link: EPIC WIN! You should be CELEBRATING!

Haninator: But... *sniffle* Midna left you...

Link: Oh... yeah...

Haninator: Even though I wasn't much of a Midna fan during the game... she got nicer and I guess I warmed up to her a tad... And well... you had this positively HOPEFUL look when she said that as long as the mirror was standing you guys might see each other again... and then she broke it AND your hopes with ONE TEAR!! *whimpers* WHYYYYYY?!?

Link: *bites his lip and tries to keep from joining me* I DON'T KNOOOOOWW!!!!

Meta Knight: *walks in* What are you guys sniveling about?

Haninator: MIDNA LEFT HIM!!! *whimper*

Meta: That's the PAST.

Haninator: BUT SHE DIIIIIIID!!!!!

Meta: Calm down.

Haninator: *takes a deep breath and lets it out* Oh, yeah... the questions... ^^; Oh... and uh... Kaputskie... uh... seems to want my head for uh... the length of the chappy in comparison to the AN... *hunkers down like a beaten dog* I SOWWY!!! DON'T KIWL MEEE!!!

Kamek: *flies in on broom*

Everyone else: Ah, crap.

Haninator: I BLAME YOU FOR THE ASIAN CARP INVASION!!! *points accusingly at Kamek*

Link: I BLAME YOU FOR MIDNA LEAVING!!! *points at Kamek*

Meta: *points at Kamek* Is that a new broom? If it is, try sweepin' out the Halberd. It needs it again.

Kamek: It seems I have been asked a question about why I hate the Yoshis so much... well... it all started when (DUH DUH DUH!!!) they stole my lunch money.

Green (Yoshi from my fic): No. That was the TOADIES, you MORON!

Kamek: *ignores Green* Those thieves... *shakes his head*

Shy Guy: I'm a gangster...

Haninator: SHUT UP!!!

Shy Guy: Freedom of speech. Word. I was asked by mah little friend, Laguzgirl if I look hideous behind this mask. Well... the mask is to impress the chicks, dawg. And I am a reglah chick MAGNET!

Haninator: GET OUT OF MY SIGHT NOW!! OR I SHALL KILL YOU!!! *face turns red (Jedi Academy Re-edited style)*

Shy Guy: OH, SNAP! *runs*

Haninator: Yeah, foo'!

Green: Laguzgirl ALSO asked how we Yoshis can carry Mario around... well, mah friend... it AIN'T easy... we had to work into it... that's kinda why we did the relay system... XD And... well... If he *points to Link* can lift a GORON and THROW it into a pit of lava a good TEN FEET away, we can DEFINITELY carry some fat plumber around.

Mario: SHUT-A UP-A!

Link: *chuckles* Gorons... XD

Haninator: Yeah, yeah... skinny boy! *pokes Link's tummy*

Link: AH!! IT BURNS!!! XD Oh... the most bunker-worthy thing she's ever done... tried to take my shirt off for a side-by-side comparison of my abs to those of my computer-generated self. Yeah... that... was... uhm... awkward...

Haninator: *blushes wildly* It WAS sorta funny.

Han and Indy: We were asked why we look alike... well...

Han: IT'S A CONSPIRACY!!

Indy: *smacks Han* Fool! It's NOT a conspiracy! There's a superstition that somewhere out there in the world is someone who looks just like you... well... that's how it is for us. We're the intergalactic unrelated twins.

Han: You're jealous 'cauz I'm cooler.

Indy: Shut up, flyboy!

Han: *thinks about Leia* Ah, crap... *runs off*

Indy: *nods triumphantly*

Haninator: Epic win. XD

Meta: Oh, yeah... Link wanted to know why I never take off my mask... Well... there are two reasons... One, to hide my identity. Two, it allows me to be more intimidating... *mumbles something about fangirls calling him cute*

Link: HA HA!!! FANGIRLS!!! XD

Haninator: Awww... I just realized... I didn't get the sexah armor... aww...

Link: O.o BUNKER!!!

Haninator: I'M KIDDING! GOSH!!

Link: T.T SERIOUSLY?!? Oh... Meta... wants to know why... uhm... I wouldn't get out of bed and let him train me... WEEEEELLLL.... I was having a REALLY good dream...

Haninator: O.o Oh, crap. SPARE US!!!

Link: :3 It wasn't DIRTY. I was just so calm... I love Lake Hylia. :) And... I had Thin Mints...

Haninator: Oh, crap... I know where this is goin'... XD

Link: Which reminds me... Meta also wanted to know about my Thin Mint... stealing... XD THEY'RE ADDICTING!!! And DELICIOUS!!! It... must be something to do with... lack of will power?

Meta: LAAAME!

Haninator: XD *can't stop laughing* I think mint affects Hylians... *laughs* like a drug. *laughs*

Link: IT DOES NOT!!!

Haninator: *laughs*

Meta: *stands there awkwardly* CHAPPY!!! NOW!!!

Haninator: Okay, okay, bossy. XD *Meta gives her a positively piercing glare* JK.. JK!!

* * *

Chapter 6 Rescue and Showdown

"Meta," Link said warily, "do you think Tabuu's got heat sensors or something down here?" His voice was calm, quiet, and cautious.

"I don't know. Odds are he's got some sort of security system... but... we may have gotten lucky. Think of it this way: this is the basement. Basements, generally, aren't heavily secured. But... the lack of security here may be a ruse to get us into the mindset that this is going to be easy. It's probably going to be the hardest thing either of us has ever done."

"But it'll be worth it." Link set his mouth into a grim line of determination. This was the face that stared death in the eye; the face that would defy all odds and deny all evil. It was the face many opponents had fallen to before he even began to fight; the face that had the ability to destroy fighting spirit by the simple assurance that the owner would outlast anyone who stood in his way.

"Yes." Meta took a deep breath to keep himself steady. No use getting riled up over it now. They were already in the open. If Tabuu wanted them, he would have to come and get them. The Star Warrior pulled Galaxia, its polished golden surface shining brilliantly. Link followed suit, the Master Sword and Hylian Shield taking the place of the double clawshots.

The two remained silent as they navigated the plain gray concrete corridors.

*

Zelda felt a chill go down her spine. She was certain it wasn't from the temperature of the cell. The move to the cells on Vartwick had been uneventful. The same look that must have been on her face was on the faces of her friends, her Brawl-mates. It was a look of a squelched spirit and, though it was a well-coordinated ruse, Zelda could feel herself losing hope. She knew that Link and Meta were coming. She had that feeling, but nevertheless, the mass expression had the power to dampen her hopes. It wasn't right that it was able to, but somehow, against all logic, it affected her deeply. She found herself closing her eyes against the cold dimness, shivering a little until she curled up into a ball. The children had their own separate cells now. Zelda could only hope that they were warmer than she was.

*

Link felt himself shivering uncontrollably. He couldn't understand it. Until recently, he had been rather warm, comfortable even. Then, an image of the cell invaded his brain. He was able to see the wall opposite the cell door, also made of dingy gray concrete. Though the sight was similar to what he was actually seeing, Link was able to determine that it was a vision from Zelda. "M-M-Meta," he tensed, trying so hard to regain control of his muscles, "Z-Z-Zelda is," Link took a moment to clench his teeth in a desperate attempt to keep them from chattering, "in the pr-prison bay. I-I think it's o-over to th-the r-right." Link growled, angry at his body reading too much into his mental connection with Zelda. He had no right to be shivering, not in a tunic, chain mail, an undershirt, gauntlets, pants, and a hat.

"Link," Meta asked, feeling helpless. He had no idea how to make his friend stop shivering and that development could cost them the edge they had. He took a deep breath, knowing he had to do something. A chill went up his spine when he realized exactly what he should do. If it had to be done, it had to be done. "Sit down."

Link obeyed and Meta walked around behind him. "Meta, wh-what are you d-d-doing?"

"Warming you up." The Star Warrior sat down behind Link, pressing his back to the Hylian's. Thinking warm thoughts, he sent a mental push in Link's direction. When the Hylian gasped, Meta knew that it was working. After a few seconds, he withdrew and stood up.

"What _was_ that?!?" Link asked in disbelief.

"Heat transfer. I haven't had to do that since training..."

"Can you show me how to do it after we get back?"

"Yes." Meta didn't tell him how dangerous the heat transfer could be. Either the receiver or giver could potentially die during the maneuver. In order to perform it properly, one must balance the amount of heat he or she transferred. If too much was given, the giver would freeze; too little and the receiver would meet a fate ridden with hypothermia.

Link's eyes sparkled and he smiled. There was a fire in them, burning with hope and a deep desire for knowledge. For some reason, Meta found that he couldn't deny those eyes this time. _I'm getting soft. Curse this stay at the Smash Mansion! First thing after this is all over, I'm going to take a nice long flight in the Halberd. Just me. No one else._

The Hylian started off, Meta trailing him. After a long series of twisting corridors, the duo reached a particularly familiar junction. "This is the way to the prison bay. I can _feel _it!" Link whispered excitedly, pointing to the hallway on the right. Meta nodded, somehow getting the same feeling in his gut. Link ran lightly down the corridor after Meta's approval, skidding to a halt when he saw his princess curled up in a ball on the cold, hard floor, shivering. "Meta... heat transfer?"

Meta Knight shook his head. "No. I only did that because you... well... it would be awkward for me to... hug you... to warm you... and it would be terribly ineffective."

Link blushed, knowing the implications of Meta's words. "Yeah. I think you did the right thing, there."

Meta chuckled awkwardly, looking around for any sign of a key ring, anything that would open the cell door. He spotted a hook on the wall close to the ceiling. He flew up to grab it, thinking that there was something wrong with how easy this mission was going, but returned to Link with the key ring unscathed. Meta tried a few keys on the lock to Zelda's cell before picking the right one, then flew off to free the other Smashers as Link tried to warm his princess.

"There, there, Zel. It's okay." Link reached over and pulled her shuddering form to his chest. His strong arms acted as a fortress for her. She turned over in his arms and looked up into his eyes.

"L-Link. I kn-knew you'd c-come."

"Take it easy, Zel. Just focus on getting warm." He pulled her closer and sat cross-legged, laying her down on his lap. Suddenly realizing that this wasn't going to be enough to warm her as quickly as he wanted, he leaned back from her momentarily to unfasten the belt holding his tunic in place. He slid the scabbard and shield off of his back quickly, not wanting to cost the princess heat. He quickly stripped off his tunic and slipped the warm fabric over Zelda's torso, using it as a blanket. Link smiled, even as he felt the cold more prominently on his back. The chain mail he wore was slowly becoming the temperature of the room, not that it was particularly pleasant.

"Link, I had this feeling that you would come to rescue us. Meta, too. We were going to try to break for it... until Tabuu's demonstration." Link swallowed. Even in memory, the sight that wasn't truly his had the power to make him gag.

"You warm now, Zel?" Link asked, pulling his scabbard, shield, and belt pouch next to him. It still amazed him that all of his weapons, no matter how big or small, could fit into one pouch. It had to be some kind of ancient Hylian magic.

"Mmm-hmmm," Zelda murmured happily.

"Good." Link smiled and ruffled her hair playfully. The Hero of Time briefly considered putting on the Zora Tunic, but discarded the idea. He'd let Zelda use his green tunic. Then when she was completely satisfied, he'd take it back... only if she insisted.

"Link, we've got to navigate back to where you guys landed. Tell me where to go."

Link responded with a detailed memory of the twists and turns of the corridors he and Meta had taken to get to the prison bay.

"Thanks," Zelda replied, moving to stand. Link helped her up and followed her to a standing position. She handed his tunic back to him and stepped out of the cell, smiling.

Link returned her smile, surprised a bit by the warmth the thick fabric bore. He hastily put it back on and grabbed his belt, complete with pouch and fastened it securely over the lowest inch of his belly. The scabbard and shield were the last to regain their rightful positions on his back. He walked to the door and supervised the evacuation of the prison bay with Meta. "That's everyone," he said smiling. "Great rescue." He gave Meta's spauldored shoulder a pat.

"I have a feeling it isn't over yet."

"Your perceptions don't fail you, knight." The voice was familiar, cold, and everything the duo remembered of its owner.

"Tabuu," Meta said through clenched teeth, spinning around to face the blue man.

"Again. Your senses are especially honed, Star Warrior. That leaves me one question. Are you prepared to lose?"

"A warrior must be prepared for everything. You must have forgotten."

"YOU!" Link yelled, lunging at the blue man.

"What about me?" Tabuu asked, dodging and forming his hand into a blade.

"You are the destroyer of planets and defile the good name of your species!"

"That's all? Pathetic boy!"

"I'll show you pathetic!" Link yelled, backing up the words with a physical assault. Meta attacked Tabuu from behind and while the blue man was briefly distracted by his pain, the Master Sword dipped into Tabuu's flesh. Purple-blue blood stained both swords. Wising up to their double-teaming tactic, Tabuu transformed his other hand into a blade to parry on both fronts, as he fought to keep both of his foes in front of him, where he could see them and easily counter their attacks.

Seeing that their previous plan was failing, Link took a deep breath, back flipped away from Tabuu, and pulled a bomb from his pouch as Meta continued fighting Tabuu with Galaxia. Preparing himself for what could result, Link lit the fuse.

Meta heard the subtle fizzing of the fire burning the wax-coated string. "Link, no. Don't do it," he said, his voice almost pleading for his friend to regain his senses.

"It's the only way." Link closed his eyes for a second. "See you on the other side." Link ran forward and Meta stepped back from Tabuu even as pain formed itself in his heart as the Hylian threw the bomb with pinpoint accuracy. The explosion was huge and deafening. Tabuu must have tried to deflect the blast at the last second and failed. Smoke clouded Meta's vision. When it finally cleared, the Star Warrior could see Tabuu on the ground, leaking the vital purple-blue fluid from his chest.

Tabuu was stunned and slowly dying of blood loss. Meta couldn't help but put the evil man to rest, though, stabbing Galaxia into the twisted creature's head. Then, another thought occupied his mind. Link was nowhere near Tabuu's body.

Meta was alarmed when he didn't see Link at first. But, then, he looked to his right. The Hylian was near the wall, looking anything but victorious. The explosion must have thrown him at the wall. His left leg was torn from thigh to shin, blood welling grotesquely from the wound. Meta was certain that the Hero of Time wouldn't walk away from this alone. And there was an alarm going off somewhere in the base. The Star Warrior did what he could—he affixed a makeshift tourniquet made of a strip of Link's pant leg, hoisted the young man up in his arms, and flew as fast as his wings could carry him toward the Halberd.

*

Zelda found that she no longer had a mental connection with Link. The well of grief and fear surfacing within her was too much for her to hold back. She wept vigorously right there in the cockpit of the Halberd with everyone watching. She didn't care anymore. There was nothing left for her to care about. Toony walked up next to her and hugged her, providing a needed shoulder to cry on. She cried harder than she ever had before; Toony stood there near her, just giving her what little comfort he could. He had never seen her like that before and hence couldn't do much to make her feel better as she sat there crying into his shoulder. The other Smashers looked on, at a loss for words.

"Zelda… what happened?" Toony asked in a gentle whisper.

"T-Toony," Zelda murmured through her sobs, "I-I lost my contact with him."

"No. NO!!!" Toony's yell was enough to make the other Smashers concerned. Ganondorf snickered to himself. His nemesis would no longer bother him. Toony's eyes began to water and tears flowed down his cheeks. "He's—he's not dead. I won't believe it!" His sobs reached a crescendo much like Zelda's and the two held each other, neither one wanting it to be true.

*

Meta Knight flew through the gaps in the grates, hurrying to defy the alarm's rising wail. Link hadn't stirred yet and Meta was beginning to lose hope. A few minutes later, he made it to the Halberd, flew up the ramp, closed it and yelled for whoever was in the cockpit to start the engines and get the ship out of the vent. Fox and Falco obeyed, taking the pilot's and copilot's seats respectively, starting the engines as quickly as possible. Meta ran with Link to the med bay, Samus following him, ready to help in whatever way she could.

"C'mon, Link. Don't let go." Meta Knight bit his lip underneath his mask, eyes flashing to the sorrowful midnight blue that hardly ever surfaced. "Stay with me." His voice bore the strength of steel. He wouldn't plead. He'd demand.

"Meta, I… don't think he's gonna make it." Samus put her hand on Meta's shoulder. "What… what did this to him?"

"I'll let him tell you." Meta began compressing the Hylian's chest, trying to get him to wake up. Link twitched, but Meta couldn't be sure that it was the compressions or his friend's own reaction. Meta tried desperately, but to no avail.

Samus closed her eyes and left, out of respect for Meta. "NO! Link! Don't do this!" The Star Warrior rested his forehead on the green-covered chest. For the first time in a long while, he let tears run from his eyes. He didn't know how long he'd sat there before he heard a cough.

"Meta," a voice said weakly, "what are you doing on my chest?"

Meta's eyes widened and he looked up to see the Hylian's face, as if he thought it was a dream and the only way to ensure its truth was to see his friend's lips move. "Link?"

"Who else?" Link coughed again. "I hate smoke."

Meta chuckled and smiled underneath his mask. "You're okay…"

"Well… my leg hurts like no other, but… other than that… pretty much… yeah," Link said, smiling, the defiant fire in his eyes. Meta smiled, knowing that they'd be friends for a long time as the Halberd sped off through space, nearing the Mansion. It was over. It was finally over, sealed in an explosion behind them, miniscule-looking from space. The promises of the future were as bright as the flash of fire that blinked, and then faded in a cloud of smoke. The promises, however would maintain their glory for much longer.

* * *

Not a bad ending, eh? Now, before you start whining about the end being the end, lemme tell you there IS a sequel in order in my notebook. :3

Link: Gosh… that…

Meta: Oh, calm down. You know Haninator would never write you out.

Haninator: Meta's right, Link. *smiles compassionately and hugs Link*

Link: ^_^ I feel better now.

All: Review?

Haninator: Meta… do you want a hug too?

Meta: ^_^ [beneath mask… I have the skilz. XD]


End file.
